Under Wolf Protection
by RueEmerson
Summary: Diefenbaker won't stop following Chicago Det. Stacy Calbot wherever she goes. Why? Don't own characters except Stacy. Story written 15 years ago at the height of this most excellent show.
1. Chapter 1

"This is my case!" Stacy Calbot informed the Mountie.

"But," Benton Fraser tried to reply.

"No," she interrupted. "It is mine."

She marched out the office, Diefenbaker following her out. Ray looked at Fraser and shrugged. Fraser sighed.

Stacy strode down the street, her braid flopping at her back. Diefenbaker walked alongside her. She noticed him and stopped. He did too.

"Quit!" she said, glaring down at him. He only stared at her with his blue eyes, head cocked to one side.

"What's the use?" she said, throwing her hands in the air. Benton Fraser appeared at the corner, spotting them. Stacy started walking again, ignoring Diefenbaker.

"He won't stop," Fraser called from behind. Stacy picked up the pace, but Diefenbaker stayed close. She reached the bus stop and sat down on the bench. Diefenbaker lay at her feet. Fraser arrived but remained standing.

"What is with you?" she asked Diefenbaker, behind forward and holding his jaw so he could see her speak. He just stared.

"He seems to think you need protection," Fraser said. Stacy shook her head.

"Then he's wrong. I am a tae kwon do expert and a trained cop," she retorted. "I do not need any protection," she mouthed to Dief. He whined.

The bus pulled up and the door opened.

"Bye," she said, boarding the bus. Dief followed with Fraser in tow.

"What the …," the bus driver exclaimed. Fraser read his nametag and took off his hat.

"Mr. Demonte, this animal will not cause any trouble," he told the driver, who turned and watched Dief lay down in the aisle next to Stacy.

"He'd better not or you all are off!" he responded, muttering under his breath.

"The bus came to a sudden halt further up the road. Stacy arched her head to see the problem. Two men were arguing in the street, one with a gun. Another man advanced toward them.

Stacy leapt to her feet, Fraser and Dief directly behind as she disembarked.

"Stop! Police!" Stacy yelled as she ran toward the trio. The man with the gun fired, missing her shoulder by an inch. She sprinted for him when he shoved the man he'd been arguing with to the ground. The gunman and the other man took off for the alley, grabbing a little girl standing on the sidewalk. She screamed.

"Damn!" Stacy muttered as she followed, her hand on her weapon.

"They killed my wife and now they have my daughter!" the man on the ground cried as Fraser helped him up.

"We'll rescue her," Fraser assured him, watching Stacy and Dief turn the corner.

Stacy summoned all her strength to keep up with the men. Dief sped in front of her, biting down on the pant leg of the man hauling the girl. He struggled with Dief but kept his grip on the girl, yelling for his partner.

The gunman halted to grab her and throw her over his shoulder. He pointed his gun at Dief just as Stacy lunged at him. A bullet grazed her cheek and she winced.

The gunman turned and ran. Stacy briefly closed her eyes and raced after him, focusing on the scared little girl in his arms.

She finally caught him and dove at his legs, bringing him down. He tumbled, losing grip of the gun and the girl. Stacy rolled with him, instructing the girl to run. They wrestled for the gun and he regained it first.

"Too bad you don't know who you're dealing with," he growled, shoving the gun in her face. Their eyes locked and she brought up an elbow, knocking his wrist as the gun fired, slamming into her shoulder. She bit back a cry and forced the gun away, striking his jaw. The blow startled him and he felt back. She pounded him in the chest and doubled over, blood from her shoulder oozing onto his shirt.

Fraser found the frightened little girl in the corner crying and Stacy straddling the man, his face in the pavement and hands behind his back. Stacy grimaced as the pain overwhelmed her.

Fraser assumed control, taking the man into custody, just as Ray and other officers arrived on the scene. The father scooped up his daughter, both crying and hugging. Dief appeared at Stacy's side as Fraser helped her stand.

"I wish I had killed him," she groused after Fraser relayed the background story from the father to her.

"No you don't. Justice will take care of him," Fraser replied as the paramedics arrived to take her to the hospital.

"Whatever," Stacy tautly said as she was treated and loaded into the ambulance.

"You want me to take you to the hospital?" Ray asked Fraser, looking in Stacy's direction. Fraser shook his head and Dief whined.


	2. Chapter 2

Two days later Fraser hiked to Blue River Point with Dief. Dressed in a cream colored sweater and blue jeans, he reached the crest to find Stacy sitting on the rock cropping, her knees to her chin, starting at the setting sun.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said as Dief settled next to her.

"What do you want, Fraser?" she said, not looking at him.

"Nothing," he said, sitting down. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she snapped.

"I would accept that if I knew it were true," he softly said. She gave him a dark look.

"You want to know what's wrong?" she gruffly asked. He said nothing.

"I'll tell you. I never knew my father. My mother raised me alone. She told me how kind he was, how great he was, that he stood for what he believed," she said.

Stacy stood and walked to the cliff's edge.

"He left her, six months pregnant with me, a widow to raise a child," she said, swallowing.

"And now I think that girl will never see her mother again. She nearly lost her father too," she said.

Fraser stood and approached her.

"I never knew my mother," he softly said. "All I had was my father, when he was home, that is."

"That girl without a mother. I should have killed that guy," Stacy lamented, moving too close to the edge for Fraser's comfort so his grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"But you kept her father alive," he said, not releasing her.

Stacy glanced at him, tears forming. He gently folded her into an embrace.

After a moment, she pulled away, embarrassed to have cried in front of anyone, especially another cop and Fraser in particular.

"I think I'm going to head home," Stacy abruptly said, slinging her backpack over her left shoulder. The right shoulder was healing nicely but still smarted.

"I'll walk you home," he said, hoisting his own pack with bedroll.

"That's unnecessary. Stay and enjoy the sunset," she said, turning from him and heading for the trail, Dief at her heels.

"Geez, not again," she muttered, dropping to one knee. She grabbed Dief's muzzle to force him to look at her.

"Stay," she said. He put a paw on her wrist in protest. She rolled her eyes and released him. She glanced at Fraser. He shrugged as he walked toward her.

"Looks like he's not going to listen," he commented. Stacy bit her lip from retorting.

* * *

Stacy unlocked her apartment door and turned to Fraser.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked, half hoping he'd say no.

"Thank you kindly, but we've got to get home," he said, his voice trailing off when Dief shot inside.

"Oh dear," Fraser said. Stacy pushed the door open wider and ushered him in. Dief lay inside at the foot of her bed.

"Diefenbaker," Fraser called, his face beginning to redden. Stacy rushed past him to shove her personal belongings into drawers and under the bed.

"I apologize for my wolf," Fraser said, his voice wavering. Trying to not to look around, he went to Dief and kneeled in front of him.

"What is with you?" he asked the wolf. "Protection? Why?"

Stacy glanced at them, pausing in her cleanup.

"What? What do you mean protection? We've been through this already!" she said, borderline frustrated.

"It appears Diefenbaker is convinced you're in need of assistance tonight. Although he won't tell me why," Fraser said, giving Dief a dirty look.

Stacy sighed.

"Unbelievable. I can take care of myself! Tell Diefenbaker I'm fine," she said.

"Ms. Calbot wants us to leave," Fraser informed Dief, who promptly ignored him and put his head down on his paws. Fraser sat back on his heels and looked apologetically at Stacy.

"I'm afraid it's no use. He's not going to listen to me," he said, standing.

"So he's staying the night?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered. Stacy glowered.

"Well, make yourself comfortable," Stacy said, walking out of the room. Fraser glared at Dief before following her to the kitchen.

"I really must apologize," he said. "He never acts like this. I don't know what's gotten into him."

"Fraser, shut up," she said, eyeing him. He opened his mouth then shut it.

"You can throw your bedroll next to Diefenbaker," she instructed. He opened his mouth to protest, to say he could sleep in the living room, but she gave him a piercing look. He rescinded and obeyed.

"I will get you for this," he hissed at the wolf, who whined as Fraser unfolded his bedroll. "You know full well what you're doing and I must protest. Don't give me that look. She is not in danger and you know it."

"You mind if I change?" Stacy asked from the doorway. Fraser immediately closed his eyes and faced the window.

Stacy quickly donned a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt.

"You can turn around now," she said. Fraser avoided looking at her, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Surely I'm not making you that nervous," she said, staring at his flushed cheeks.

"Ah, no," he responded, still refusing to glance in her direction.

"Then what is it?" she asked.

Fraser's hormones were on parade and he blamed Diefenbaker for putting him in this position.

"Nothing," he finally said, sinking down on his bedroll. Stacy temporarily walked out to lock the front door.

"Bathroom's around the corner," she said, returning and flipping off the lights. He sat in the dark, untying his boots before settling on his stomach, head resting on his arms.

"Fraser?" Stacy said, sitting up.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Am I really in danger?" she asked. He was silent for a moment.

"Diefenbaker seems to think so," he said. Stacy lay back down. Eventually she fell asleep, hyperaware there was a Mountie and a wolf in her bedroom.

* * *

"Don't leave me!" she screamed, reaching for her father. He smiled and disappeared, leading her mother away.

"You can't go!" she yelled at her mother. Her mother waved and mouthed, "I love you," before turning away.

"No!" she shouted.

"Stacy, wake up," Fraser said, gently gripping her arm as she thrashed around. He sat on her bed, trying to rouse her. Her eyes snapped open, her body trembling and covered in a cold sweat. Diefenbaker had his nose at her thigh and she stared into his blue eyes.

"You were having a nightmare," Fraser softly said. "Was it about your parents?"

Surprised she glanced at him.

"How did you …," she said, realizing she must have been talking in her sleep. "Yes. My mother died last year."

"I'm sorry," Fraser said.

Stacy sat up and scooted back against the headboard, out of his touch.

"She loved me so much, encouraged me to go to school and then the academy. I didn't realize she was slowly leaving me," she said, her eyes welling up.

Fraser started to rise from the bed when she touched his arm.

"Don't go," she quietly said. "Tell me about your father."

He sat down and smiled.

"He was a Mountie and he was gone much of the time. I lived with my grandparents. They taught me more than I can ever thank them for. My father was a good man and he's always with me," he said.

Silence filled the room.

"Why have you never asked me out?" Stacy finally asked, shyly looking at him. He blushed.

"I hadn't found the appropriate time," he said, looking away.

"Thanks for staying," she whispered, crawling out of bed and heading for the kitchen.

Stacy reached for a glass and filled it with water, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. What was she thinking? She had no right to ask him such questions. She set the glass down and leaned forward on the counter, her face in her hands. Her life was a disaster.

She heard Fraser move behind her.

"Stacy," he said. She turned around to face him. He drew her into his arms and she buried her face in his shoulder. It had been a long time since anyone had held her, stroked her hair, made her feel safe and even loved.

They stood there for a while, just holding onto each other. She eventually lifted her head to meet his gaze. His eyes searched hers before covering her lips with his. When they came up for air, she laid her forehead against his. They were breathing hard and there was tension in the air.

In a split second, Stacy decided to make her move. She took his hand and led him back to her bedroom. Fraser knew he should leave — right now, his brain shouted — but he didn't want to.

* * *

Hours later, Stacy shifted to her side in her sleep. Fraser wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back into his embrace, nuzzling her neck. She sighed and he tightened his grip.

They had come close to sharing more than her bed but his conscience had gotten the best of him. She had asked him to stay anyway and he had willingly complied, happy just to hold her in his arms all night. He hoped she would not hate him come morning.

Stacy woke to find Fraser gone. She shot straight up in bed and noticed Dief was still on his bedroll.

It was then Fraser returned from the bathroom. He searched her face for regret. He found none.

"I thought you had left," she murmured as he came to her side.

"That would be rude," he said, slipping back into bed and holding her close.

"Do you think Diefenbaker set us up?" she whispered in his ear.

"I would have to agree. I can't say I'm sorry, though," he replied.

Stacy laughed. They lay there for a while, before she spoke up.

"You realize we have to be at work in an hour," she said.

Fraser nodded and reluctantly got up. She stayed where she was, watching him pull his sweater on and reach for his boots.

"What are we?" she asked. "Is there a 'we'?" He looked up at her.

"Yes," he said, giving her a boyish grin. She smiled back.

Diefenbaker barked, something he rarely did, in agreement.

"Wait until Vecchio gets a load of this," Stacy wryly said.

"Ray?" Fraser asked, tying his boots.

"He'll be so shocked, he'll probably faint," she said.


	3. Chapter 3

"Benny," Ray called out as Fraser walked into the police station in full uniform, followed by Stacy and Diefenbaker. "Check this out."

Ray handed Fraser at a newspaper clipping.

"He was a mob boss?" Fraser asked, frowning.

"Yeah, you put away some of the worst scum in this city. You'd better watch your back," Ray replied. Stacy skimmed the article over Fraser's shoulder.

"Maybe this is why Dief's been acting the way he has," Stacy said. "But how did he know?"

Fraser glanced at Dief. Ray glanced at Stacy and then Fraser.

"What? How has the wolf been acting?" Ray asked.

"He won't leave my side," Stacy said, making her way toward her desk. Diefenbaker, if on cue, followed. Stacy pointed at him.

"See?"

Ray looked bewildered.

"Your wolf is now psychic?" he asked. Fraser opened his mouth and then shut it. "What? No Inuit story?"

* * *

At lunchtime, Ray flipped the file he was staring at onto the desk and spoke to Fraser, who was peering out the window.

"You ready to eat?" he asked. Fraser turned and nodded.

"Ah, yes. Let me ask Stacy if she's ready," he said. Ray scowled.

"What is it, Ray?" Fraser asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Nothing," Ray said, grabbing his coat. Fraser stopped him.

"What's wrong? You can tell me," he said.

Ray lowered his voice and leaned in to Fraser, "Is it really necessary for Calbot to go? I mean, Diefenbaker's here with her."

"You do not approve of her?" Fraser asked, surprised.

"Me and her do not exactly see eye to eye, Benny," Ray replied.

"I supposed this would be a bad time to ask for advice then," Fraser said, glancing at Stacy. Ray's eyes widened.

"Fraser!" he exclaimed, angling his head at Stacy. Fraser lifted his eyebrows.

"I think I'm going to faint," Ray said, sitting down on the edge of his desk.

Stacy walked over with a huge grin as she watched shock spread over Ray's face.

"I told you Vecchio would balk at the idea," she said, leaning into Fraser. "Why don't you guys go on? I'll grab some coffee later. You might need to rush Ray to the hospital."

"Very funny," Ray muttered. Fraser searched her face. Stacy just smiled.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yes! Get going," she replied. Fraser donned his hat and tipped it at her. Ray walked past them, muttering. Stacy chuckled as she watched them go, Dief pressed against her leg. She glanced down at him and he stared up at her.

"Let's go see if we can find a doughnut or two," she said. Stacy swore he smiled.


End file.
